Least Skipper - (Ancyloxphya numitor)

The Least Skipper is a small butterfly that prefers humid regions and tall grasses.

Staff Writer (1/23/2014): Unlike other grass skippers, the Least Skipper is not an excellent flyer. It flutters about, as if it is struggling to stay aloft. Their habitat, however, relieves them of the need to excel at flying in straight lines.

Males fly in and around the tall grasses in search of females. Females lay eggs on a stalk of tall grass. Larvae hatch and use the grass to form a nest by either rolling it around themselves or using cocoon silk to cover themselves. They feed on the grass as well. Caterpillars are bright green and have white spots along both sides of the body.

Adults are active in spring and summer. In warmer states, they are also active in the winter months. They prefer marshes and wetlands.

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Details of the:
Least Skipper

Category: Butterfly or Moth
Common name: Least Skipper
Scientific Name: Ancyloxphya numitor

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Hymenoptera

Family: Hesperiidae

Genus: Ancyloxphya

Species: numitor

Size (Adult, Length): 15mm to 27mm (0.59in to 1.06in)

Identifying Colors: orange; brown; yellow; white; gray; black

Additional Descriptors: flying

North American Reach (Though Not Limited To*): Alabama; Arkansas; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Vermont; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming; Alberta; Manitoba; New Brunswick; Newfoundland and Labrador; Nova Scotia; Ontario; Prince Edward Island; Quebec; Mexico

* Keep in mind that an insect's reach is not limited by lines on a map and therefore may appear in areas/regions/states beyond those listed above.

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